Page 74 of Silent Target

“We’re moving.”

“Graves is letting you.”

“That bothers me too.”

Three black helicopters rise over the northern ridge.

Their side doors are open.

Operators sit along the benches with weapons ready.

Fathom’s tablet begins sounding over the radio.

“What is it?” Rook asks.

“More aircraft. Three convoys approaching from the north, east, and south.”

“How long?”

“Less than thirty minutes.”

“Mercenaries?” Cobra asks.

Fathom doesn’t answer immediately.

“No. Federal tactical teams.”

Evie looks at me.

“They’re sending the government after you.”

“No.”

I watch the helicopters begin boxing Shadow Division against the mountain.

“They’re sending the government after terrorists.”

Graves has already started the second half of his plan.

He never needed to kill us here.

He only needed to keep us on this mountain until the entire country came to do it for him.

14

EVIE

The first helicopter sweeps over the compound.

Then the second.

A third moves toward the western ravine, sealing the only route Rook’s team can use without crossing open ground.

“They’re herding them,” I say.

Caleb studies the aircraft through his scope. “Yes.”

“So we find another route.”